President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Republican members of Congress and Cabinet members in the Cabinet Room of the White House on June 20, 2018 in Washington, D.C.(Photo11: Mandel Ngan, AFP/Getty Images)

Trump signed an executive order late Wednesday afternoon that he said ends family separations at the border, but the president insisted his controversial "zero tolerance" policy will continue.

Gaetz said Congress is continuing to work on legislative solutions.

"Right now, immigration legislation remains very much a moving target," he said.

Gaetz said Wednesday afternoon that he had not had time to thoroughly review compromise legislation filed recently.

"I cannot say right now how I will vote," he said.

In a news release issued late Wednesday after Trump signed the executive order, Gaetz noted the House was expected to vote this week on two piece of immigration legislation to address the issue.

"I will not support legislation offering amnesty to those who have entered our country illegally," Gaetz said in a prepared statement. "I look forward to supporting legislation to enhance our border security, including the construction of a border wall, and to strengthen our immigration laws. Separating families is a sad consequence of decades of bad immigration policy, and I look forward to voting to restore law and order to America's southern border. Unchecked illegal immigration cannot and must not be allowed to continue."

Gaetz told the News Journal earlier in the day, something needs to be done to improve the situation at the border.

"It is always heartbreaking to see children in distress anywhere in the world. Our (immigration) policies could use improving across the board," he said.

Gaetz said he is concerned children could be used as tools by people trying to cross the border, which could lead to kidnappings or child exploitation.

USA Today reported the Trump executive order was drafted by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and directs her department to keep families together after they are detained crossing the border illegally.

“We are going to keep the families together. I didn’t like the sight or the feeling of families being separated," Trump said in signing the order.

Trump also suggested the move would be accompanied by efforts to pass immigration legislation.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, said in a emailed statement that Trump's executive order did not solve the problems faced by families at the border.

“It implies you can hold families forever, and does nothing to reunify the 2,300 children who were taken from their parents. The American people have spoken. They don’t want families ripped apart, they want to keep families together — and that’s the spirit that’s winning the day," he said.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued a news release stating he had introduced legislation with numerous other Republican senators. He said their Keep Families Together and Enforce the Law Act would allow minors under age 18 to stay with their families depending the outcome of their court cases.

"It's cruel to separate families, but it is also cruel and irresponsible to return to a policy that encourages parents to bring their children on a dangerous journey," Rubio said in the prepared statement.

Melissa Nelson Gabriel can be reached at mnelsongab@pnj.com or 850-426-1431.